There is a widely shared misconception that a good relationship has no conflict and no suffering, and that the purpose and goal of a good relationship is the elimination of both. Unfortunately, what happens with this line of thinking is people end up eliminating the dynamic energy that inspires love. What then follows, because no one can eradicate conflict or suffering, eventually they drive each other from their lives or love from the relationship. Dynamic and egalitarian relationships have a respectful and active tension that keep them growing. Neither side seeks to correct or change the other. Nor do they slip into a bored and distant complacency. Rather they are complementary opposites that reveal other[...]

Our current reality is the sum total of our best thinking and efforts. Unless you have given up completely, you have to be a little dissatisfied. We can collectively do better. If the current models of change were sufficient and efficient to dynamically evolve our problems toward better solutions at an inspiring rate, we would be evolving. They are not bad, some are quite genius, they all contain a fundamental omission: Energy. None of them address the Energy Paradox that fuels the Extraordinary person to Inspire Innovation and Drive Change. Energy—the capacity to do work or

EMPOWERING LEADERS TO Inspire Change What if change was essentially a movement of energy? It is. What if social and personal change was as well? What if it was a matter separate from philosophy, psychology, religion, or education? What if all of these are manifestations of how energy flows through them? The Chinese believed this. The movement of energy through humanity and nature formed the groundwork of their theories of medicine, martial arts, and human relations. Just as life is a manifestation of sunlight, every endeavor from work to play is a movement of energy in and through matter.

When it comes to Chinese Martial Arts, lineage and tradition are paramount. They are like the roots that form the foundation of the tree and connect it to the power and sustenance that feeds it. Lineage and tradition are the bridge that connects present and future students, Masters, and Shifus to the ancient scholars, philosophers, sages, and warriors that discovered and defined the 5000-year-old root of Chinese Medicine and Martial Arts Philosophy and Culture.

The destructive cycle of harm is crippling us. This cannot be allowed to function as our status quo. I believe we can do better. It is time for us to respectfully begin setting clear limits on the harm in the world. Change begins with awareness, is followed by acceptance, and manifested through conscientious action.

Do you feel tired when you feel happy, fit, or healthy? Do you feel energized when you feel sad, injured, or sick? Have you ever noticed your energy level when you were happy or sad? Healthy or sick? Fit or injured? It is simple, our sense of wellness reflects our energy level. When we have an abundance of energy, we feel great. When we have too little, we feel bad. When life demands more energy than we have to spend or wish to spend, we feel stressed. Most people do not associate the presence of stress with a feeling of wellness. Usually, wellness involves the absence of stress, but as we know, all the vacation in the world cannot free us from stress. Have you ever felt stressed AND well? If you have the[...]

In addition to Resilient Stress Management, wherever I currently teach, I teach a style of Gong Fu called Shen Shing Wu Chan. Shen is spirit, Shing is movement, Wu is mixed Chinese martial arts, and Chan is meditation. Together they are “Inspired movement through conflict, while meditating.” I have the unique privilege of studying directly under Master Wang Tian Min, who grew up in China and had the rare opportunity to grow up studying under many Chinese martial arts Masters. Additionally, he studied Chinese medicine, philosophy, and culture: the I Ching, Ba Gua, Yin and Yang, and the Tao. Master Tian synthesized his knowledge and experience into the Shen Shing Wu Chan system. He embodies the art of extending[...]

It is a New Year. If 2017 was the year of inescapable stress, let’s make 2018 the year we begin to master stress. Let’s use it to inspire us to evolve beyond our current limits to new heights of good health, prosperity, and happiness. We need an empowering new choice in how we manage things like stress and conflict so that we can enjoy more beneficial results and less destructive consequences.